Wilfork: 'Good won't get the job done'

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 5:56pm — Alex Speier

Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, in his weekly appearance on The Big Show, said that New England's defense played good football for the entire game the first time this season in their playoff victory against the Broncos Saturday night. The Patriots defeated Denver, 45-10, advancing to the AFC Championship game this Sunday in Foxboro. Wilfork said the team's bye week helped shore up a defensive unit that struggled with inconsistency all season.

“The week we had off with the bye really helped us in different aspects of the game,” said Wilfork. “Everyone used their time well. We're looking for better football in the postseason. Now that we've seen it, guys can understand how it feels to play 60 minutes of good football. It felt real good. We want to keep this feeling and everyone knows it starts in practice.”

New England's next opponent is the Ravens, who defeated the Texans on Sunday in the divisional round, 20-13. Wilfork went to college with one of the anchors of Baltimore's defense, Ed Reed. He praised Reed's ability to make plays on the field, but knows Reed's intangibles and work ethic set him apart.

“[Reed] is the type of player that works so hard in the film room and practice,” said Wilfork. “He wants to know what you're doing. He is very smart when it comes to playing football. That's something you can't teach. He's a special, special player.”

Although, Wilfork called the defensive performance the most complete game New England has had all season, the four-time Pro-Bowler said the Patriots need to take their play to a whole new level in order to advance to the Super Bowl.

“Good won't get the job done right now,” he said. “You have to chase greatness. Trust me there's a bunch of guys out there who are taking there game to a whole new level out there on the field...We're looking to take a step forward. We can't take a step backward or stay the same. We have to get better.”